86 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown
86 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown
# Mycelium Names
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Mycelium Names is a global fair name system that provides addressing services within the TF Grid ecosystem. It operates on principles of decentralization, fairness, and community benefit, addressing the limitations of traditional DNS systems.
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## Core Principles
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- **Decentralized**: No central authority controls the naming system
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- **Fair Pricing**: Cost based on name length, with shorter names commanding higher prices
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- **Community Benefit**: 100% of revenue used for ecosystem development
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- **Sovereignty**: Users define their own names and administrators
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- **Scalability**: Designed to scale globally
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- **Geo-Awareness**: Queries return results from the closest location
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- **Load Balancing**: Distributes traffic across multiple sites based on location
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## How It Works
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### Name Structure
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- **Top Names**: Format of `xxxx.yyyy`
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- Price depends on the length of both segments
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- Shorter names (vanity names) are more expensive
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- Names with 8+ characters in each segment are nearly free
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- Each name is globally unique
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- **Circle Names**:
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- Top names link to a Circle and its administrators
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- Edge names are stored per circle
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- Can be any depth (subdomains)
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- Updates are frictionless and free
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### Technical Implementation
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- Name services are built into the TF Grid infrastructure
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- Replicated across all subnets for redundancy and performance
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- Queries are resolved to the nearest geographic location
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- Load balancing automatically distributes traffic for busy sites
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- Supports unlimited subdomains with efficient updates
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### Administration Model
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- Each person can define their own names
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- Multiple administrators can be assigned (more than 1)
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- Decentralized governance prevents single points of control
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- Community-driven development and improvement
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## Pricing Model
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- **Pricing Factors**:
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- Length of name segments (shorter = more expensive)
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- Registration period (longer periods may offer discounts)
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- Renewal fees follow the same pricing structure
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- **Examples**:
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- Very short names (3-4 characters): Highest price point
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- Medium-length names (5-7 characters): Moderate pricing
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- Long names (8+ characters): Nearly free, accessible to all
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- **Payment**:
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- Paid in [TFP Points](./tfp.md) through the mutual credit system
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- TFP flow from name registrants to the TF COOP
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## Comparison to Traditional DNS
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| Aspect | Traditional DNS | Mycelium Names |
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|--------|----------------|---------------|
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| **Control** | Centralized (ICANN, registrars) | Decentralized (community) |
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| **Pricing** | Often arbitrary, high margins | Fair, based on name length |
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| **Revenue Use** | Profit for registrars | 100% for community benefit |
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| **Geographic Awareness** | Limited (CDNs as add-ons) | Built-in geo-awareness |
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| **Load Balancing** | Requires additional services | Native functionality |
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| **Subdomain Management** | Often requires technical knowledge | Frictionless, user-friendly |
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## Benefits for Users
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- **Affordability**: Everyone can access a name they can afford
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- **Sovereignty**: Control over your own namespace
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- **Performance**: Geo-aware resolution improves speed
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- **Reliability**: Replicated across the network for high availability
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- **Simplicity**: Easy management of domains and subdomains
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- **Fairness**: Transparent pricing based on objective criteria
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## Integration with TF Grid
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- Seamlessly works with Mycelium Gateways for web access
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- Integrates with all other TF Grid services
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- Essential component of the mutual credit [TFP](./tfp.md) system
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- Enables discovery of services and resources across the grid
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